Then have at thee, boy!
by Mrstrentreznor
Summary: Seth drops in to visit Bella at work, and sees someone he hasn't met before; Mike. NM AU


**Prompt 9**

One of my one-shots for the Truly Anon Twi fic contest. 45 photo prompts, I wrote 13 stories. Clearly have major issues... lol. The photo prompts can be seen at the contest site

http : /ficcontest. info/?page_id=924

Prompt 9 – was a colour shot of four feet poking out from under a comforter. They were clearly male feet. AU, NM

Word count: 1258

Disclaimer: _the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their Gods._

Pairing: Mike/Seth

AN: the title quote is from Romeo and Juliet

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><p><strong>Then have at thee, boy!<strong>

Newton's Olympic Outfitters was a boring place late on a Tuesday.

Bella Swan leaned on the counter and read Romeo and Juliet for the hundredth time.

She saw Mike's blonde head down between the aisles. He was like an irritating Labrador; constantly following her around and repeatedly asking her out. She didn't get why he wouldn't give up. Couldn't the guy read messages? Did she really need to spell it out for him? 'I do not want to date you… Mike.' She'd have to add his name; he'd probably think she was talking to someone else otherwise.

The door dinged as a customer entered the store. Bella put down her book and put on her happy face.

An extremely tall, well-built russet skinned young man wandered over to the counter. Shirtless.

Not a customer.

"Hey Seth," she greeted him.

"Hey Bells. How's it going? Have you seen Jake lately? Are you really busy? I don't see many customers?"

"No." She thought that might cover all the questions.

Seth draped himself over the counter and glanced up the aisles.

Mike wandered out again.

Seth twitched. He froze. His whole body came to attention.

Bella looked at him.

He had just gone on point. She had thought that Mike was a Labrador, but right now Seth was a hunting dog.

And then the oddest thing happened. Bella saw Mike look up towards her counter and he saw Seth. He froze too.

Nobody moved.

Bella couldn't breathe. She was terrified of moving. She held her paperback over her mouth to hide her smile.

Mike gave a jerky, physical movement and he stumbled into the aisle opposite him. Seth still watched that spot. Now he sniffed a little. He straightened up and sucked in his stomach.

Gah. The abs…

She could almost hear the clock tick.

They waited.

Seth was uncharacteristically silent. He usually chattered at her, like the adorable little brother she had never had.

Mike emerged again. He was already looking at Seth. He came down one aisle and then hid again. He did it again. He was very slowly making his way to the front counter.

Bella started to pray that a customer didn't come in; she thought that it might break the spell.

She thought about Mike and how he looked. He was very good looking, he just wasn't her type. He had clear pale blue eyes. He was a touch under six feet tall, but was slim and athletic. He dated all the pretty, popular girls like Lauren and Jessica. He had taken to using hair gel recently and she had thought it was to copy Edward's hair style.

Maybe it wasn't.

Seth inhaled again and he emitted a small rumbling noise. Bella shivered.

_'Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight!/ For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.'_ - William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 1.5

She read that line and looked at Seth. She studied him with new eyes. He was spectacular. Flawless skin. An amazing physical specimen. She had been so used to thinking of him as the puppy of the pack, that she hadn't thought about how he would look to others. He looked damn fine.

Mike was not getting any closer and she wanted him to. She reached out and carefully brushed her finger down Seth's bicep. He jumped a little.

"Do you want me to introduce you?" she asked extremely quietly.

Seth just nodded.

She wrapped her hand around his arm and squeezed a little. She meant to convey that it was okay and that she was cool. She had no idea if that worked or not. But Seth straightened up a little more.

"Mike!" she called out. "Have you met my friend Seth?" She gave Seth's arm another encouraging squeeze.

Mike approached. He ran his hand through his hair in a movement oddly reminiscent of Edward. "Ahhh…" he mumbled. He got himself together. "No… I don't think I have."

"Seth Clearwater, this is my friend, Mike Newton," she introduced them.

Seth held out a massive hand. Mike shook it. Seth grinned at him. It was a Jake smile; the sun breaking through the clouds. She almost laughed; Mike copied Edward and Seth copied Jake.

They stood there … still holding hands for just a touch too long.

Bella felt like doing a Snoopy happy dance. She was watching … **something** happen.

"Hello," Seth finally spoke. His voice seemed much lower than it usually was. "I've heard Bella talk about you."

Bella got a panicked look on her face at the thought of what she had said about Mike. Nothing complimentary she thought. Luckily, neither was looking at her.

"Really?" Mike said. He sounded pleased.

"Yeah…" A pause. "Mike Newton, huh? So this is your store?"

Mike actually blushed. "Oh no," he blustered. "My parents own the store… I just work here…"

And they were off.

Bella backed away carefully. "I just need to… yeah…" It didn't matter what she said; they weren't taking any notice of her. They were busy talking to each other.

She turned and hurried off to the storeroom. She could find some shoes to put back in boxes or make a cup of coffee in the staffroom or something, to give them some time together.

By the time she got back they hadn't moved. If anything they were a little closer together.

"Mike, we have to close up," Bella suggested carefully. "I could lock up for you, if you wanted to go now? I owe you one for the other day, when Jake picked me up."

She pushed at Mike's back a little, when he didn't react.

"Oh," he said. "Oh, okay… would you like to drop by the diner, Seth?"

Seth beamed at him. "I'd like that."

"Cool."

"I just need to grab my bag." Mike backed away and hurried to the staffroom.

Seth glanced at Bella with a completely happy look on his face. She gave him a silent thumbs-up.

Mike came back out rather speedily with his backpack over his shoulder and his letter jacket on.

They walked off together. Bella did a silent squee with her hands in fists in front of her. They looked amazing together; the light and the dark heads, subtly inclined towards each other as they walked.

Bella opened her copy of Romeo & Juliet. It opened at the scene where Romeo and Paris fought. Romeo and Juliet: Act 5, Scene 3.

**PARIS**

_68 I do defy thy conjuration,_

_69 And apprehend thee for a felon here._

**ROMEO**

_70 Wilt thou provoke me? Then have at thee, boy!_

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><p>Their feet stuck out from under the covers. Their legs were all tangled together.<p>

Seth hugged Mike's back in against his chest. He nuzzled his ear and sniffed at him in that spot just at the top of his neck under his hairline.

Mike's eyes were closed. But he smiled. "Seth," he said.

"Hmmm?" asked Seth.

"Nothing. I just wanted to say it."

Seth smiled. And hugged him tighter.

They fell asleep. Both happy and content.

FF_2154210_582272867 - 23/03/2012 9:54:00 AM


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